Gaming
Fly high with FunFair Games’ Hugo: Up & Away
FunFair Games has announced its latest next-generation title, Hugo: Up & Away, an exciting multiplayer crash-game created in partnership with IP-owner 5th Planet Games.
The story-driven release sees the lovable troll Hugo navigate through perilous storms and thunderous clouds in a plane full of jewels, all while avoiding his foes’ explosive TNT balloons.
A fulfilling multiplier increases the further Hugo travels, with a delightful maximum win worth x2,500. However, should our protagonist be struck by fatal lightning, the rewarding journey comes to an end. Players must decide the best time to parachute to safety in order to earn more rewards.
To support Hugo’s companions, players can place two bets each round and utilise the title’s advantageous auto-eject features that help users receive sky-high wins.
Hugo is a fictional character who was first introduced through a hit interactive live TV show that aired in the 90s and entertained people in more than 40 countries. The franchise also amassed a large following in the video-gaming space, bringing forward a range of computer, mobile and console games that received global recognition.
Thanks to FunFair Games’ recently announced partnership with Hugo’s IP holder 5th Planet Games, the innovative studio has been able to introduce the timeless character to the growing crash-game vertical.
Featuring the same mechanics as the company’s top-performing title AstroBoomers: To the Moon!, the new title promises an engrossing casino experience.
Enhancing the studio’s collection of immersive non-traditional titles, Hugo: Up & Away allows FunFair Games to meet its ambitions of developing a new genre of games and attracting the next generation of gamblers.
Mark McGinley, CEO of FunFair Games, said: “Hugo: Up & Away has the potential to be one of our most popular releases, with the Scandinavian franchise having gained a broad following thanks to a consistent flow of gaming and cinematic adaptations since the 90s.
“We’re delighted with the final product and have to thank 5th Planet Games for its support throughout the development process. We can’t wait for players to enjoy this vibrant title that combines elements from the original game show and harmonises it with the thrilling crash game elements.”
Mark Stanger, CEO of 5th Planet Games, added: “We are delighted to bring Hugo into a completely new and exciting vertical in the real money gaming space together with FunFair Games. With a crash scene being the focal point of the original TV show, we have found the perfect match in FunFair Games with their expertise in creating engaging crash-style content, and we couldn’t be happier with the result.
“Hugo remains an extremely popular character in countries around the world and offering a modern twist of the original story was an opportunity we could not turn down; we look forward to introducing the game to fans old and new.”
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1xBet
HLTV Awards returns to Belgrade on January 9, 2027, adding Lifetime Achievement honor
HLTV will stage the HLTV Awards presented by 1xBet in Belgrade, Serbia on January 9, 2027, returning to the Sava Center. The company said more than 1,000 players, industry professionals, creators, and fans are expected to attend.
HLTV also confirmed Dust2 creator David Johnston will feature as an award announcer. HLTV linked the booking to the 25th anniversary of Dust2.
For 2026, HLTV is updating its Hall of Fame process and eligibility rules. Four players will be inducted again, with “at least two and up to three” slots reserved for players from the Counter-Strike 1.6 and early eras. HLTV also removed the former “neo rule,” allowing players to be inducted for their playing careers even if they remain active in other roles such as coaching.
HLTV is adding a Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be decided by the Hall of Fame Board. The ceremony will also move Community Awards onto the main stage show for the first time, rather than the pre-show segment.
Separately, HLTV will kick off the 2027 Awards season with an invite-only “HLTV Awards by 1xBet Launch Party x GRID” in Cologne during the Major. HLTV said industry members can apply for an invite to the ceremony via its awards page.
The post HLTV Awards returns to Belgrade on January 9, 2027, adding Lifetime Achievement honor appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Asia
S8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026
S8UL Esports’ League of Legends roster has qualified to represent India at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, running from September 19 to October 4. The organisation said the team secured qualification through the regional qualifiers after winning the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2026, described as the official national qualification tournament for the Asian Games.
S8UL said the roster competing under India’s banner is Akshaj Shenoy (Kat Bot), Aakash Shandilya (Infi), Sanindhya Malik (Deadcorporal), Mihir Ranjan (Lotus), Ahmed Shahid (Nero), and Rahul Bisht (Bob). The regional qualifiers featured 14 teams across a group stage and a split stage, with top performers advancing to the Asian Games main event.
In Group B, the team went unbeaten against Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Kazakhstan to progress, according to S8UL. In the split stage, it lost to Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia but did enough to secure a berth. India will now face opponents including Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Vietnam at the main event.
Four players—Kat Bot, Infi, Deadcorporal, and Lotus—were also part of India’s League of Legends contingent at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, where S8UL said the team finished fifth.
Akshaj Shenoy aka Kat Bot, captain of India’s League of Legends team, said, “Qualifying for the Asian Games is a proud moment for all of us. We knew the regional qualifiers would be extremely competitive, and every match demanded complete focus. For many of us, this will be our second Asian Games, which makes this qualification even more special because we understand the level of competition that awaits us. We are grateful to S8UL for believing in this roster and providing us with the support, stability, and opportunities needed to keep improving as a team. Representing India is always an honour, and we’ll do everything we can to make the country proud in Aichi-Nagoya.”
S8UL co-founder and CEO Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug added, “Representing India at the Asian Games is among the highest honours an athlete can achieve, and seeing our League of Legends roster earn that opportunity is incredibly special. This team has demonstrated resilience, discipline, and a willingness to continually improve, qualities that are essential for success at the international level. At S8UL, our goal has always been to create pathways for Indian athletes to compete on the biggest stages in the world. We have no doubt they will give their all when they step onto the stage in Aichi-Nagoya and compete for the nation with pride,” S8UL also noted that Gurashish Singh (Soul) and Prateek Bhaunt (B Haunt) previously qualified for the Asian Games in Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6 after winning at NESC 2026.
The post S8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gaming
Geckos Games Launches Momentum – The Most Adrenaline-Charged Live Sports Game Ever Built
Geckos Games launched Momentum, a patent-pending real-time sports prediction game unlike anything in the market. THRILLZZ Free Social Sportsbook gone live as the exclusive launch partner on the opening day of the world’s biggest Soccer tournament.
Five Minutes. One Question. Pure Adrenaline.
Every five minutes of a live match, Momentum asks players one question: which team has the Momentum right now? Not who will win the game. Not what the final score will be. Who has the upper hand – this minute, on this pitch – based on every pass, attack, and pressure play happening in real time.
Makes it different from anything that has come before: the Momentum shift on a single event. A yellow card. A saved shot. A dangerous run. Every on-field event recalculates the balance – and players watch their position move with it in real time. It is not a black box. Players see each event land inside the game – the moment it happens on the pitch.
Then comes the timer. As the five-minute window counts down to zero, the tension becomes almost unbearable. Players who are in the win zone are watching every second, knowing a single event in the dying moments can flip everything. The last few seconds of every round are unlike anything else in sports gaming – raw, unscripted, impossible to put down.
Zero Latency. Official Data. Real Stakes.
Momentum is powered by an official match data with zero latency. Every event flows instantly into the game engine. There is no delay, no approximation. What players see is what is happening on the field right now.
This is not a simulation. It is not a simplified model. It is live sport, translated into a game in real time and that distinction is everything.
The post Geckos Games Launches Momentum – The Most Adrenaline-Charged Live Sports Game Ever Built appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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